


Leave me Alone

by orphan_account



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Angst, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Bow Is a Good Friend (She-Ra), Creepy, F/F, Glimmer (She-Ra) is a Good Friend, Heavy Angst, Hurt Catra (She-Ra), Hurt/Comfort, Non-Consensual Groping, Poor Catra (She-Ra), Rape Aftermath, Rape/Non-con Elements, Stalking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-08
Updated: 2021-01-08
Packaged: 2021-03-12 22:15:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,852
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28517751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: When the best Friend Squad visit planet Eraklia, a member of the royal council is immediately interested in Catra. It's during a ball on their first night there where he makes his move, not realizing or caring for the fact that Catra already has someone in her lifeShe rejects him, but he doesn't take 'no' for an answer, entitling himself to her when she pushes him awayAs if she needed more trauma (heed the tags and warnings)
Relationships: Adora & Catra (She-Ra), Adora/Catra (She-Ra)
Kudos: 76





	Leave me Alone

**Author's Note:**

> I'm gonna put these ------------- lines for the start and end of the triggering part, though there will be later descriptions of it, be warned

''Eraklian atmosphere entered, prepare for descent'' Darla said robotically as she gingerly maneuvered to land on the planet's surface

Bow sighed ''I can't wait to go here! I've heard Eraklia's beautiful''

Glimmer took his hand ''We need to get an alliance here first, they have huge Thulite reserves, it'd be best if they're on our side''

''Speak for yourselves'' Catra grunted as she looked out the window ''Didn't Tallstar say this place was 'backwards' ?''

Adora considered it ''It's Tallstar, she...sees the negative in alot of things'' Her mind briefly flashed to the time she said it was pointless to go back for Catra, she was terrified for ages after that ''plus, she only meant the people, I'm sure we can improve that here''

''If I remember correctly she said 'The rulers of that place are insane and backwards, their council had to be scrubbed clean and replaced since the entire thing was corrupt, and a new king had come to power, it's not a good place to go until things straighten out' '' Entrapta quoted her word for word

''And that's why we're here, to straighten things out!'' Bow smiled

Catra rolled her eyes ''Yipee, more royalty to party with''

Adora's eyes narrowed as she looked to the feline

Catra scoffed ''I don't mean you, you're more of the 'idiot' kind of royalty and less of the 'annoying' kind''

Adora flushed ''Hey!'' she playfully elbowed Catra, who laughed out loud at her reaction

''King Raylum and Queen Vidia of Eraklia it's an honor to be in your presence'' Glimmer bowed ''I'm queen Glimmer of Brightmoon, This is Bow, and this is Catra'' she pointed to them both ''They both aided us in the battle against Prime and dealt decisive blows against him, and this is Adora of Bright Moon, She-Ra of Etheria, Princess of Power''

Adora immediately curtseyed

The queen smiled as she curtseyed back ''An honor it is to meet you as well''

The King spoke up ''Our royal council and scholars have spoken very highly of you, though I believe some of their information may have been tampered with, it says here you are to be called the 'Terrifyingly-Powerful Warrior of Etheria' ''

Adora laughed ''No, I don't think I've heard that one before''

'' 'Princess of Power' is fine'' Glimmer said sheepishly

'' 'Terrifyingly powerful' huh? I don't think anyone's described you as that scary'' Bow grinned

Adora flushed ''I can be scary when I wanna be!''

Catra grinned as she held onto the Princess ''Woowwww Adora, you're sooo scary'' she teased, flicking her nose

Adora looked away ''That isn't fair'' she grumbled ''You caught me off guard''

Catra laughed, pulling her close, laying her head on her shoulder. Despite herself, Adora cracked a smile, hearing Catra's laugh would always put a warm feeling in her chest ''I can totally see why you're soooo terrifying''

The queen cleared her throat ''Shall we meet with the council?''

The others nodded as they were lead through the place, into the council's meeting hall

Glimmer, as Etheria's queen, was the main speaker during the council meeting

Catra sat at attention as she went on and on about something to do with 'Thulite trade' 'Expanding space travel' 'Magical guidance and learning' 'Infrastructure' and a load of other things they'd planned out together that she couldn't be bothered to listen to again

Her eyes wandered around the room, the king and queen were sitting on two thrones, opposite to the squad, the council members sat at the sides of the royal family and on the upper balcony. It was a large, diverse, selection of a bunch of formally dressed people who were all mostly looking at Glimmer as she spoke. There looked to be over a hundred members in total

''And now we shall put it to a vote on the high council'' the king announced ''Councilwoman Erris, what say you on the....'' she tuned him out again, looking around

There was one man in particular who wasn't looking at his fellow council members, or the royals, or even Glimmer. One of theme was staring directly at her. Catra caught his eye for a split second before glancing away, he was a slightly older man, probably in his late 40s, he seemed pretty tall and burly, probably a retired soldier, he was still staring, looking her up and down. Catra began to feel uncomfortable. Her fur stood on end, she shook it off, now trying to pay attention to the king instead

''And Councilman Murray? What is your vote on the matter?''

The man eyeing Catra before stood up, he had a gravelly sort of voice as he spoke, he looked at Glimmer condescendingly as he started ''My vote on the matter is that we reject help from Etheria, Eraklia is a planet that has long relied on itself for sustenance, our Thulite Reserves, despite our people's valiant protection of them, were still subjected to looting from interplanetary vagrants and thievery on Horde Prime's part. We cannot afford an interplanetary deal from a world that just appeared out of the sky one day and asked us to take it. Eraklia must plan on self sustenance through the newly established council before we can afford to pile debt onto ourselves from Etheria''

Glimer grumbled in frustration ''Did he listen to anything I said at all!?'' she whisper-yelled

The king nodded ''Very well, I now ask you to cast your votes on the matter, all opposed?''

Murray and around nine others raised their hands

''All in favor?''

The overwhelming Majority raised their hands

The king concluded ''We shall accept help from Etheria, a grand feast shall be prepared tonight to welcome it!''

Glimmer hooted and cheered as they left the castle ''WE DID IT! WE ACTUALLY DID IT! BOW! WE DID IT!''

''We were there, Sparkles, I think we know we did it'' Catra yawned ''Did you pack anything formal, Princess? I don't think I have anything to wear to this'' she asked Adora as they clambered into Darla

Adora giggled ''I've been waiting ages for this!'' She darted into their room

''Adora, what're you- oomf'' A dress was tossed onto her face as Adora began throwing their clothes out of the bag, tossing them in every direction

''Hold- on- Almost- got- it- YES!'' She beamed as she took two suits out of the bag

Catra's eyes narrowed in confusion as she looked at them ''Did you...?''

Adora nodded happily ''I GOT US SUITS! I got this super cute red one for me and this amazing purple one for you, it'skindaliketheoneyouworeatprom, which was really cute too and I really hope you like it, and I'm sorry if you don't I just really wanted to surprise y-'' She rambled

''Adora, Adora relax'' She took the suit from her ''I love it''

Adora stopped in her tracks ''Really?''

Catra stood on her tip toes, leaning her face to Adora's ''Of course I do, it looks great and...it's from you'' she hugged the Princess

Adora smiled at her reaction, nearly lifting her up as she hugged her back. She heard a soft hum from the magicat as she purred against her, When did she get so lucky?

Catra eventually let go of her, going back down ''I'm gonna go change into this, thanks again'' She kissed the Princess on the cheek, making her flush

Adora wore her fancy black and crimson tuxedo, she fixed her hair into a bun before turning around

Catra was wearing a dark purple jacket with a magenta shirt, a black, leather belt tied it together. her sleeves and pants were cuffed, her short hair bristled on the edges of the collar of her shirt. She had a small, opened bowtie leisurely laying there

''How do I look?'' she asked as she turned to see Adora

The Princess stepped forward, placing her hands on Catra's waist ''You look beautiful'' she said softly, kissing her cheek

''I just asked you how I look, I didn't ask you to get all sappy'' Catra grinned, arms circling Adora's back, she pulled her close, purring ''but thanks anyway''

Adora hummed, running her fingers through Catra's hair ''Come on, we better get going''

Catra sighed, pulling away ''Okay, just one more thing''

She reached up, digging her fingers through Adora's neat hair, and kissed her

The entire council was there at the glamorous ball. Each was in uniform as they gave toasts to the newly formed Eraklian - Etherian Alliance

The squad, while trying to appear excited, were bored as all hell. Glimmer and Bow were meeting with various Council members while Catra stood by Adora as people came up to her (perks of being the mighty She-Ra's girlfriend) But they were so sick of partying with royals that it just made them long more for the sweet relief of sleep back on Darla

Glimmer had already sent a transmission to Etheria's forces with Entrapta, who skipped out to tweak the ship (two years later and she was still finding ways to improve the thing) Bow made a mental note to bring her some of the food later. In any case, Etheria's forces would teleport in soon and help out with improvements here, sealing the alliance

Catra was exhausted

She barely ate, she didn't even dance, and she just wanted to get back to the ship. probably a side effect of drafting half the points Glimmer made in her speech. Glimmer had briefed them about politeness here though, Eraklia was more strict than most planets, and they would be super offended if she dared leave the palace

She began to feel congested as another person approached Adora

''H-Hey Princess?'' She elbowed her

Adora looked to her in confusion ''Hey, are you okay?''

''I-I feelin a little...I think I'm gonna go for some fresh air'' The words tumbled from her mouth

''Oh, okay, want me to come with you?'' Adora placed a hand on her shoulder

Catra shook her head ''No, can't risk offending your 'admirers' now can I?''

Adora scoffed ''My 'admirers' don't matter to me as much as you, just...call me if you need anything, okay?''

Catra nodded ''Yeah, I think I'm gonna go to one of the balconies, so you can probably find me there''

Adora smiled at her as she walked out of the ballroom, she turned back to talk to more admiring council members lined up to meet her

Catra perched herself on the closest balcony she saw, taking a breath of fresh air as the cold breeze flowed through her short hair

The balcony was gold, complimenting the marble of the palace walls. Vines of roses decorated the arch above the pristine, gilded doors.

There were two big piles of junk that set the whole place off though. Rope, cloth, broken and splintered planks of wood lay there like they'd been placed there only a little while ago

She directed her eyes up to see some construction work going on a few floors above, that certainly explained the trash. She looked back to the horizon, watching the moon rise over the forest. Apparently Eraklia had only one moon, opposed to Etheria's many

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

''I see you've found the imperial balcony'' The Royal Council Member who was looking at her earlier joined her

Catra immediately tensed up ''Oh, I didn't know it was the _Imperial_ balcony, I'll just head back inside''

''Nonsense'' He smiled ''I know you see it as a mess now, you must excuse the renovations, This is one of the rarest, most beautiful areas in all of Eraklia, I insist I show you its History''

Catra knew better than to stay here, but she also remembered what Glimmer had said about disrespect here, It was best she listen to him and slip away later ''Wow, okay, um, History away I guess''

He obliged, tracing the vines of roses lining the walls beside the door ''These were planted by Prince Fenrir almost 300 years ago, they're Crimson roses, rare beauties here in Eraklia, are they common where you are from?''

Catra scratched the back of her head ''I, um, I actually haven't seen much of the plants on Etheria, so I can't answer that, I'd advise you to ask Queen Glimmer or Princess Perfuma, she works with plants there, I'm sure she can point y-''

The man plucked one out, offering it to her ''Lady Catra, you're one as rare and beautiful as this rose, I'd like you to have it''

Catra stepped back, not knowing how to respond

''With this, I implore you to stay here on Eraklia, as my lawfully wedded wife, I can give you all that you want, everything as long as you remain mine, what do you say?'' He continued, shoving the rose closer to her

''Very well, let me tell you more of this place'' He pocketed the rose and stood in front of her, blocking her path and acting as if nothing happened ''These doors are made from pure gold, the handles carved from Ruby, they are notoriously difficult to open'' As his palm traced over the gold inscriptions and designs, he pushed the door closed, until finally they shut with a satisfying 'click' ''I do not remember allowing you to deny me, dear''

Catra's eyes widened, an angry fire awakened in her voice ''Please, step aside, I really need to get back to my girlfriend''

''I insist you remain a little longer'' he grinned ''These doors are horribly heavy for a frail woman such as yourself to open''

Catra had enough ''I think you'll find I'm perfectly capable of opening them'' She outstretched her arm to push him aside

He caught her wrist as it was about to make contact with him, for a second, Catra was surprised. His grin widened he pulled her close, her small body was completely against his now, just as he desired ''Really, I think it's best you stay'' he crooned

''Hey! What're you-!'' She unsheathed her claws trying to fight back with her other arm

He grabbed her other wrist, squeezing it in his hand ''Quite feisty aren't you?'' He licked his lips ''We'll take care of that very quick''

''No! G-Get off me!'' Catra struggled against his grip as he pinned her to the wall, her back laying against the cold marble of the palace. He raised her arms, stretching them up as he lay on top of her, trapping her legs between his so she couldn't fight back

''I knew you were special from the moment I set eyes on you'' she felt his heated breath against her cheek as he closed her wrists together in one hand, now using his free one to tilt her chin upwards ''You must feel it too''

''No I don't! Get off me or I'll fight you!'' Catra thrashed again, but he wouldn't let up

''Such a beautiful specimen'' he purred as he traced her jawline, moving down to her neck and finally reaching her collar, he fingered the small bristles of fur there, pulling at her the first button on her neckline ''I will make sure you are mine''

''No! Stop! GET OFF!'' Catra yelled as she felt him touching her. Her fists clenched and unclenched as he didn't let her move an inch

He began unbuttoning her shirt, the warm, fuzzy skin on her chest tickled as his cold hand grazed over it

Catra roared, somehow overpowering his grip. She threw him off and darted to the door clutching her shirt together in one fist as she incessantly turned the handle. It was jammed

her heart was beating out of her chest as she couldn't seem to pry it open. _nononononononono_

  
  
He recovered quickly, sprinting forward as he yanked at her tail

The action of him touching her tail made Catra freeze up, she was pulled back as his arms snaked around her small body. She felt his breath against her neck as she tried to fight again, clawing at his arm

''SOMEONE HELP!'' She screamed

His hand closed around her throat ''Shhh, you must remain quiet'' he whispered into her hair

''No! Nnngh!'' His hand ran against her hips and waist, at one point resting just under her abdomen. her tail lashed in defense. She could feel cold sweat against her as his lips touched her neck, he peppered kisses there, making her squirm

Without thinking, Catra yelled again ''ADORA! SOMEONE! HELP ME!''

she inhaled sharply as he turned her around, slapping her across the face, throwing her to the floor

''I told you to remain quiet!'' He growled angrily as he stood above her. He sat on top of her as she tried to scramble away ''You have no right to deny me, no one will believe you even if you escape''

''You're wrong! they will!'' Catra screamed ''SOMEO-''

He took the first piece of cloth he could find on the pile ''This'll be enough to shut you up'' He gagged her, wrapping the cloth over her mouth and tying it behind her head

''N- Mmph! MMMPH!'' Catra tried to yell again as the gag was fastened over her mouth

''Now isn't that better?'' he crooned, caressing her cheek

He lifted her by her jacket, tearing it in the process ''I won't let you escape me again, beautiful'' He took a rope from the pile, this time harshly gripping her forearms as he forced her to the balcony. ''Keep still'' He beckoned as she thrashed and fought for him to let her go, he twisted her arms, looping them between one of the balcony railings. He tied her wrists together tightly with the rope, she flexed her claws, trying to escape as he pinned her down, laying his body on hers grinning as she tried to fight against it ''Perfect'' he smirked

She landed a kick on him as he lay his hand on her upper thigh

''Argh!'' He yelled as he clenched his leg. In anger, he scratched her thigh, tearing her pants ''You're gonna pay for that, wench!'' he growled as he recovered from the blow

'''mmph!'' Catra made a high pitched, squeak like noise from her throat as he squeezed her tail again, sharply pulling at it

''Don't like that, now do you?'' he grinned, fingering the sensitive spot where her tail attached to the rest of her body, tugging at it ''learned your lesson yet?'' his fingers twisted and brushed it harshly as she made several more of those noises, squeezing her eyes shut as tears pricked them

''What about this?'' he purred, now kissing her neck as she thrashed more and more, tonguing the soft skin there as he felt her squirming in distress

He let go of her tail, running his hands over the rest of her, ''A savior of Etheria, eh?'' one of his hands pulled at her shirt, opening it more and more, exposing her skin there. His other ran through her soft, spiky hair. He pushed his lips further in ''And yet you are so _helpless_ '' he opened his mouth, biting into her neck hard enough to leave a mark, he could feel the rumble in her throat as a weak cry escaped her. He caressed her small figure, his finger running over the curve of her breast, still partially shielded by her torn clothes

A particularly loud ''Mmph!'' bubbled in the magicat's throat as he fondled her ass, his palms running back and forth over it as he squeezed it. He then took one hand lower, into her inner thigh, grazing them between her legs from behind, he heard another desperate, muffled ''Mmmmph!!!'' from her gag as he targeted the sensitive spot, she tried clenching her legs together, but his other hand made its way to her tail again, a sharp tug making her hurt enough to open them as a reaction

Her wrists felt like they were burning as she thrashed and twisted them against the rope, clawing at it

He pushed himself up, keeping one knee between her thighs to spread her legs, and putting the cold night breeze between them. His eyes ran over her small figure, her shirt, unbuttoned, her clothes torn in several places. She hated how his eyes raked her body, admiring his work as she watched her struggle against the gag on her mouth and the rope binding her wrists. They finally landed on her belt

''Where's your little girlfriend now?'' he grinned as one hand landed on her breast again, squeezing it, the other groping between her legs. ''MMMMPH!!!'' Catra practically screamed as his fingers remained pressed between her thighs. ''I'm sure you must enjoy it'' he crooned against her fur as he kept fingering the spot. He traced his hands over her crotch, he finally lowered the other off her chest, sliding it over her body until it stopped at her belt

He smiled one last time at her wide eyes as she realized what he was gonna do ''MM-MM-MMPH!!!'' He began to unbuckle it, grinning as it came undone. He whipped it aside as his fingers pried at her waistband, Catra's thrashing became more incessant

He laughed lowly as he began pulling her pants lower, exposing her underwear. He did it slowly, reveling in every high pitched squeal she had to offer, his mouth made its way back to her neck, where he sucked on it once more, he could feel every quiver, every tremble, every rumble emanating through her as he disgraced her. His fingers caressing her soft, bare, skin

And then the rope finally snapped

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

With all her strength, she threw him off, clawing him in defense

He was dazed and surprised as he saw her furious eyes ''GET AWAY FROM ME!'' she screamed, as she pulled the gag down off her mouth. swiping her claws to shield herself

He tried coming at her again but she was prepared this time, jumping up as she kicked him away

He slammed into the wall and was knocked out cold

She threw herself against the jammed door, forcing it open

As she ran, she pulled her pants back up and clutched her jacket together _Right down the hall, she had to get right down the hall. the ballroom was right down the hall, Adora was right down the hall_

She stopped at the large silver door

She threw it open, breathing heavily as the entire high council stared at her in shock

Her clothes were torn, her knuckles were losing circulation as she clutched them to her jacket, there was a long scratch on her thigh, now oozing droplets of blood, her hair was a mess, she had burning red marks on her wrists, a bruise forming on her cheek, and was staring around wildly, unsure of what to do

And then she heard it

''Catra?''

Adora was bounding towards her, stopping right in front as she stared at the feline worriedly

Adora eyed her nervously as more and more wounds came into view, Catra was hyperventilating, she looked like a deer caught in headlights, Adora reached for her to pull her into her arms ''Catra, Catra what happened?''

Catra collapsed against her, sobbing as she clutched onto the Princess. Adora immediately switched to comforting her ''Hey, shhh, breathe, It's okay, It's okay, I'm here now'' She tried to make Catra feel as safe as possible, something really bad must've happened back there

She was aware of most of the high council as well as the King and Queen staring at them, not that it mattered, they could stare as much as they want, her focus was on her girlfriend right now, she let them sink to the floor, cradling Catra close. Glimmer and Bow fell to their knees at her side

''What happened?'' Bow asked quietly

Adora looked up for a second ''I don't know'' she mouthed back, Catra was in way too much distress for her to contemplate asking her ''Shhh, shhh, let it out, it's okay, you're safe'' She repeated the mantra again and again until the magicat's sobs died down

One of the members now joined ''May I ask what has disrupted the festivities?''

''Catra'' Adora breathed ''D'you think you can tell us what happened?'' she asked comfortingly

Catra's lips were tightly pressed together as she paid attention to her surroundings again, everyone was staring, everyone was watching her. The member who asked bent down, waiting to listen to what she had to say

''Th-The council member, h-he followed me'' She began shakily as Adora rubbed circles on her back, she securely held her hand, letting their fingers intertwine as she listened patiently ''H-he proposed to m-me, and I said no, but he didn't listen and-and he closed the doors, and he s-started touching m-me and I tried to fight him and he kept pushing me down and saying all these creepy things, and he-'' Adora's hand had hers in a vice grip as she listened

Bow looked shocked, Glimmer covered her mouth

''I-I said no'' she sobbed ''I-I kept s-saying no, he wouldn't s-stop, he kept g-going, I c-couldn't stop him'' She took several short breaths ''H-he put this on me when I called for help'' Her shaky fingers gripped the cloth dangling at her neck, a double knot at the back ''he tied me up and h-he kept on touching me, I-I told him t-to stop, I couldn't I-'' She was getting choked up again, it felt like something had lodged and stuck in her throat. She started feeling more and more distressed again. Adora noticed it, pulling her close once more

Catra choked out another sob, what if he was right? what if they wouldn't believe her? She buried her face in Adora's chest. She wasn't even willing to look at her, afraid of what she would see

The female members of the council looked shocked and sympathetic, the male members looked ashamed and disgusted, those in between were a mix of the same, Adora couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her eyes widened as she registered the magicat's words, feeling more and more horrified by the second, she held her close, trying to protect her to the best of her ability. Whoever did this to her, she'd _kill_ him

Glimmer broke the silence, ''Oh, Catra, I-I'm so sorry'' She knew the actual seriousness of the crime committed against Catra. It was rape, plain and simple, a crime she feared like the plague since she learned about it while studying Brightmoon's law. It was done my the lowest of low, monsters who lurked in the shadows, turning human beings into their prey, she wished she'd never come into contact with such a case, and now the victim happened to be one of her closest friends

''D-do you know what you're describing?'' Bow asked quietly

Catra began to panic on the inside, what if he didn't believe her? What if no one was gonna believe her? She shook her head 'no' it was the truth, she'd never heard of something like this happening

The boy's eyes widened for a moment, she didn't even know the severity of what had happened to her, he tried to calm her down ''Hey, it's okay, I believe you'' he tried easing her worries

''And could you provide more detail on this person?'' The member continued as he listened to her

Catra took a shaky breath ''H-he's in the council, tall, burly, h-he has a gravelly sort of voice, and-''

The assailant came barreling in through the doors ''So sorry I left'' He bowed ''I spilled a glass of wine over my uniform and had to return to my quarters to replace It-'' His eyes widened as he saw Adora holding a petrified Catra, everyone's eyes were on him now

Adora felt it, the way Catra's pupils darted around, the way she held onto her in fear, the tiny shiver that racked her small body, the little gasp that left her lips. She looked between them and realized it, _this was the guy_

''Th-That's him'' Catra whispered in fear she tried to calm her breathing and buried herself into Adora's arms again, her unsheathed claws digging into her suit as she clung to her. She didn't wanna look at anyone right now, not even the girl holding her, not while he was here, she just wanted to hide

One of the Councilwomen spoke up ''Councilman Murray, did you perpetrate a crime against Queen Glimmer's company here?''

He was quick to defend himself ''Her?'' he pointed to Catra ''Oh heavens no, I simply left for my quarters and returned, I don't know what she could've told you then but I swear on my honor that it is false''

Catra felt more panic rise in her with every word he said, what if they bought it? What if everyone bought it? What if even the people she cared for bought it? She kept her eyes squeezed shut

The member from before looked to her again ''Do you have any proof that a crime was committed?''

Catra tried to think

In that moment, the criminal acted again ''She'll have no answer because there isn't a shred of proof, I believe this woman is seriously mistaken or quite out of her mind, you mustn't trust a word she says''

Catra felt another pang of fear, what if they thought she was crazy?

''Queen Glimmer'' he continued ''I implore you to send this woman to a sick home or a spinster, she seems to be extremely ill and distressed, I know one right in town, I'll send her there if y-''

Glimmer's expression hardened ''That won't be necessary'' she turned away, bending down next to Catra ''Catra, please, is there any proof you can tell us about?''

Catra took a deep breath ''I-I scratched him, It's on his arm, h-his coat's covering it''

The councilman became defensive ''Th-That's utterly preposterous! Dear Lady, you are clearly extremely troubled, y-''

'' _Show us your arm then''_

Adora finally spoke through gritted teeth, her eyes were blazing, a deadly energy emanating from her

In that moment, everyone in the room understood why She-Ra was known as the terrifyingly-powerful Warrior of Etheria, It was easy to forget with Adora's kind, gentle and humble appearance. She always hid her strength, even as She-Ra, under a layer of humility, she was always kind and sweet, one of the most gentle souls they'd met. But now, seeing the girl she loved in that kind of distress, knowing what she had to go through, that image shattered

She was _furious_ , her steel grey eyes pierced his, blue flames dancing in her pupils as she narrowed them. Her jaw was set, her teeth clenched together, she was challenging him, threatening him to say another word. This Adora conveyed nothing but white-hot, anger as she clutched the small woman to her chest, glaring daggers at her attacker

And yet, somehow, a fraction of that gentleness still remained. The part of her holding the brunette was still warm, welcoming, the way her hands softly moved through Catra's hair, the way they tenderly wrapped around her, providing a safe space for her and only her. She terrified the Royals, the council, even Bow and Glimmer in that moment, but she made sure not to aim any of it at Catra, knowing how badly she required comfort and safety, there was such a contrast with both those sides of her

The attacker was dumbfounded for a moment, gawking at Adora as she threatened him

'' _I said, show us your arm''_ She snarled

The man tried making a run for the door but Glimmer was quick to apprehend him, summoning her staff out of the air as she barred them. He wasn't escaping on her watch ''She told you to show your arm, didn't she?'' She spat

Bow now had his weapons and trick arrows out in case he tried something more

Begrudgingly, the man removed his coat to reveal four deep claw marks lining his bicep, they were fresh, clearly cleaned only a little earlier, and, without question, made by the the unsheathed, black claws that were now clutching onto Adora's suit like a lifeline

The blonde's eyes narrowed more as she saw proof of the attack

''It seems she is correct'' The King Acknowledged

He pulled his coat back on ''That was simply an injury from an animal when I was out hunting today, thank you very much, it proves nothing!''

The council started to deliberate, arguing over the evidence as Glimmer passed the accused over to the guards. Adora took that moment to look down at Catra again, the anger in her eyes vanishing as she stared at the small feline against her chest. Her eyes suddenly moved toward the dirty cloth around her neck, a large knot tied at the back, she recalled Catra saying he used it to keep her from calling for help, it made her feel disgusted

She instinctively wanted to remove it, quickly summoning her sword in the shape of a dagger to cut it loose. She ran her hand over it and Catra gasped, still jumpy from the experience. ''Hey, hey, don't worry, I'm just getting this off'' she was quick to comfort Catra again. The feline closed her eyes once more as she cut it off. Bow knelt down, taking it from her ''It can work as evidence'' he posited

''Just get it away from here'' She said almost a little aggressively. She looked back down at her girlfriend, eyes flicking to the area that the cloth covered, she nearly gasped as she saw it. A reddish bitemark was seared into her neck

Another wave of rage washed over her as she eyed it, her gaze went to the still frightened feline, she was so small, so vulnerable, in that moment, Adora wanted to kill the man who hurt her. Her eyes roamed to see the large scratch on Catra's thigh, and then the fleshy red lining her wrists, had she been burned? Her shirt was unbuttoned, her belt was missing, the fur on her tail was no longer neat, it was bristled, had he touched her there? The blonde saw the now reddening bruise forming on Catra's face. the bags under her eyes, the massive tear streaks on her cheeks, the way her eyelids scrunched up in pain every time the monster spoke

Her jacket was badly torn, there were buttons missing from her shirt, her clothes were open, exposing her skin

She let Catra up for a second, removing her own jacket and wrapping it around the feline. Catra tensed as she placed it over her, finally feeling less vulnerable the magicat clutched it together like a lifeline, muttering a small ''Thanks'' she jolted again as the man bellowed some kind of argument. Adora instinctively took her in again, Catra scrunched her eyes shut, gasping as she tried to control her breathing. ''Shh, I'm here, I'm here'' Adora whispered softly, holding her in a protective embrace

The Council stopped arguing and looked to her again ''It's insufficient evidence'' One of the women said sadly, ''If we can get a testimony or more evidence, that would be helpful for his imprisonment until he may face the court''

''Catra'' Adora said quietly ''D'you think you can tell us any more? I promise, we'll believe you, what happened wasn't your fault'' Her tone was so soft and gentle, a complete disconnect from the harsh fire it was earlier

Catra took a deep breath, clinging to Adora ''I-I can'' Despite her fear, she knew she had to be strong, she knew she had to take him down, if she could just do that, if she could make him face what he did, she'd see a way out. She finally had the courage to look into Adora's worried eyes, she saw nothing but love, kindness, and safety in them, she feared losing it ''J-Just promise you won't leave me, okay?''

Adora's reaction was immediate ''Of course, I promise'' she held her close again, tightening that protective embrace as the accused was pushed to the forefront, she glared at him again, she knew what he did, she knew he'd hurt Catra, and she was gonna make him _pay  
  
  
  
_ Catra's gaze dropped to the floor, she was trying to overpower the lump in her throat and recall the events ''I-I was at the Imperial Balcony'' She gulped ''H-he followed me and tried telling me about the h-history of it'' Her voice was shaking ''a-and then he gave me a rose and asked m-me to marry him, and I said no'' She added quickly as information began to tumble from her mouth ''I-I tried to go back inside, but he stopped me and p-pushed me on the wall, a-and I kept saying no, he wouldn't listen''

She took another deep breath to calm herself as Adora continued holding her close

''I-I threw him off and got to the door b-but it was stuck, and he pulled me back and s-started touching me, I started calling for help, a-and he hit me'' Her hand ran over the blotchy bruise on her cheek. ''And then he covered my mouth and tied me to the railing'' everyone's eyes flicked to the red rope burns on her wrists ''I-I tried to leave, I couldn't move, H-he left these on me'' She pointed to the scratch on her thigh and the bitemark on her neck ''M-my belt's still on the balcony'' she didn't dare elaborate more, squeezing her eyes shut in an effort to block it out

''SHE LIES!'' He yelled ''She's a lying wench! None of this is true in the slightest! She is insane, I tell you!'' The criminal fumbled as Catra finished her testimony

Her ears flattened against her head as she heard his voice boom across the room, what if it wasn't enough?

The woman gently bent down surveying her wounds ''These are real, guards, see the balcony for more evidence'' She turned to the Councilman ''I'm afraid you will have to be detained, the evidence is too great''

He glared as he wrenched himself out of the guards' grasp, bounding towards Catra ''YOU FILTHY ANIMAL! YOU HAVE RUINED ME! YOU'RE WEAK SCUM! NOTHING BUT THE DISGUSTING DIRT BENEATH MY-''

Adora finally passed Catra to Glimmer in order to apprehend him, she didn't even have to say the words to transform this time, the livid She-Ra pointed her sword at him. He eyed it in fear as she backed him to the wall ''Say another word against her and I won't hesitate to destroy you''

Glimmer, grasped onto Catra in fear as they both watched her with wide eyes Bow went to Catra's other side, both huddling around her defensively as she stared in shock at the golden Princess

Adora pushed her sword further ''You hurt her...'' she glared

The man grinned clearly trying not to appear frightened by her ''You must be her little girlfriend, she kept speaking of you during our interaction, she was calling for you to come for her, alas, you never heard'' He said quietly enough just for her to hear it

The blow he dealt shook Adora for a second, he smiled

''She was so weak, her cries always sounded the sweetest, It's a shame I had to limit her speech'' He described it almost leisurely, knowing to get Adora exactly where it hurt

Adora snarled as she looked at the evil grin on his face. The wounds she saw on her Catra's body flashed in her mind, he touched her, assaulted her, put her through something no person in the world should have to go through. _Her_ Catra, she was so scared, she was crying, he made her cry, he left those marks on her, he did those disgusting, unthinkable things to her. _Her_ Catra

Adora yelled as she punched him across the face ''I'll kill you'' She glared ''I'll kill you for this''

The man gulped in fear as he recovered from the blow, he'd hoped his words could break Adora but they just seemed to anger her more, he braced himself as he eyed her sword, fearing the sharp, blue glare now on Adora's face

He had to be pulled away by the guards and swiftly taken down to the dungeons, the king urged the Warrior to take a breath ''She-Ra, my deepest apologies for what has transpired, I swear to you that he will be severely punished for what he has done, may we offer you anything during your-''

Adora waved her hand, her regular warmth now gone ''No thanks, we're leaving Eraklia _now_ , Etheria's forces will arrive for magical aid here in about a week, until then, we must leave'' She wasn't staying here, she wasn't putting Catra in any more danger, she was getting them to Darla and taking off. ''I'll be asking for an update on the case when they arrive'' She wanted that monster to rot in jail for a long time

She detransformed in front of Catra, bending down. The magicat was huddled between Glimmer and Bow, her ears plastered to her head, she looked terrified. ''I'm sorry if I scared you guys'' she said quietly, starting to feel ashamed for what she'd displayed

Glimmer gave a shaky smile ''Nothing we haven't seen before'' She stood up, Catra instinctively leaned on Bow instead ''I'm gonna say my goodbyes, then teleport us out''

Bow looked up at her ''I'll send a transmission to Entrapta for her to prepare for takeoff'' He gently pulled Catra to her feet, then looked to Adora

Adora nodded, taking Catra from him, she was careful as she talked to Catra ''I'm gonna take you somewhere else, okay?'' She held onto her shoulders as she spoke. Catra gave a small nod, her eyes still flashing the trauma of the experience ''Come on'' she gently took her with her, making sure not to do anything that might make Catra uncomfortable

They didn't know what to say to each other as Glimmer and Bow got their stuff done. It was hardly five minutes, but the eerie silence between them was palpable. Adora knew better than to break it, not here, maybe when they got to the ship but _not here_

Glimmer eventually drew a spell circle around them, teleporting them to Darla in a flash, Entrapta readied them for takeoff. Catra headed to her and Adora's shared room, she wanted to get rid of these clothes and get ready for bed. Her body felt so messed up and unclean, she knew she'd kicked him off before the worst, but still, it felt like something inside her was different

Adora tentatively followed her

''Catra'' she said quietly as she shut the door to their room. Catra had thrown her torn clothes, into a pile in the corner, never wanting to look at them again. Adora's jacket was carefully laid out on the chair. She'd changed into her grey shorts and sports bra. Adora noticed the way her fur bristled on end, the way her barely smoothed tail hung low. She saw a small red spot on her lower back, near her tail, barely visible above her waistband. Oh stars, what had he done to her?

''I got you some water'' She tried starting quietly ''you better drink it now though, Entrapta says takeoff's in five minutes and you know how everything starts shaking so maybe-'' She rambled, trying to speak to Catra casually

Catra looked at her with those same, pained, vulnerable eyes, she didn't seem to be taking in a word Adora was saying

Adora abandoned the 'be casual' plan, ''Hey, if you wanna say anything, you can tell me...and if you need time, I can get out of your hair, I'm here for you, okay?'' she tried, stepping away

Tears pricked Catra's eyes at the thought of her leaving ''I-I'm sorry'' she croaked as she grabbed the Princess's hand

The blonde's brows furrowed as she stepped close, now standing directly in front of her. She didn't dare touch her, fearing triggering her, but she kept her hand in Catra's not wanting to let go. She wanted to do whatever made the feline most comfortable ''What do you have to be sorry for?''

Catra shrunk into herself ''I couldn't fight him off, I tried to, I really did, but he-he did all those things to me, and I let him, I couldn't stop him, I should've stopped him I-''

''Catra'' Adora said gently but firmly ''None of that was your fault, don't _ever_ blame yourself for something like that. Everything that happened is his fault, not yours''

Catra began crying again ''I know, but-''

''Did you give him consent at any point?'' Adora asked the distressed feline

She shook her head 'no'

''Did you fight him and say 'no' to him?'' She questioned

Catra nodded

''Did you get away as soon as you could and call for help?'' She pushed

She nodded again

''Then it isn't your fault'' Adora concluded, ''Catra, look at me'' she implored at the girl staring at the floor

Shakily, Catra looked up

''No one should have to go through what you did, and I know, it'll take time for you to heal, and I'm gonna be there, every step of the way but please, _please_ don't blame yourself for it'' She spoke to the feline so softly and kindly ''It's not your fault''

Tears were running down Catra's face

''Can I hold you?'' she asked quietly ''I'm not gonna do anything without your permission first, okay?''

Catra nodded again

Adora set the water aside, pulling the magicat into her arms, wrapping them around her tenderly, protectively. Catra's tail moved again for the first time since the incident, it quivered a little as wrapped around her waist. She leaned into it, her warmth, the safety she felt there, she took shelter in it

And then Entrapta started the ship

''Oh no'' was all they could say as the room began shaking

They flew backward, Adora's back slamming into the wall as she continued to hold Catra. The bottle of water spilled all over the floor. Catra buried herself deeper as they were thrown around, clinging to the girl as the shaking continued

''Time for BLASTOFF!'' Entrapta squealed through the intercom

Adora was thrown back, Catra on top of her, they were stuck to the wall as the shaking and vibrations on the ship's metallic walls grew, they held each other tightly as the familiar 'swooping' feeling built in their stomachs as they were glued to the wall. Eventually, the shaking died down as Darla made it out of the atmosphere. Leaving them on the floor, Adora's back to the wall and Catra in her arms

Catra blinked at their predicament for a few seconds before she _giggled_

Adora blew the hair out of her face, earning a laugh from the feline. The Princess felt a wave of love and relief wash over her as she saw her smile, she'd hoped it wouldn't be absent for long, she was glad she could see her happy again. She gave a soft smile as she looked at her

And then her laugh turned into a hiss as she suddenly clenched her cheek

''What's wrong?'' Adora asked her as she gripped onto it

Catra's glee evaporated ''I-It's this'' she ran her hand over the bruise on her face, now a slight tinge of purple ''It started hurting when I was...''

Adora suddenly got an idea ''Catra'' she asked warmly ''D-d'you want me to heal you? Where he hurt you?''

Catra stopped in her tracks, thinking into it ''Yeah'' she replied

Adora gently caressed her face as her hand glowed yellow. Her eyes flashed blue again, but they were full of love and warmth, the bruise faded away, leaving Catra's face clear of any injury. She looked to the feline for approval before holding her wrists, it wasn't like he had, it was soft and gentle and she could pry her hands away if she wanted. Adora placed her hand on the small of her back, directing the healing to her tail. Catra felt so relieved as the throbbing in it stopped and she was free to move it again. The Princess finished at her neck and thigh, leaving no trace of her physical injuries in her wake

''I-Is that better?'' She asked

Catra smiled ''Thanks, dummy''

They lay on their bed, neither really ready to sleep, Adora had her hands to herself, Catra was resting against her

''I'm sorry I couldn't protect you'' The blonde whispered at the small feline, who, despite her image, was still wide awake ''I'm sorry I didn't come when you called me''

''It's okay'' Catra said tiredly ''You couldn't have known, if I'm not allowed to blame myself, you aren't either''

Adora nodded after a few seconds ''You should know, you're one of the strongest people I've ever met. You're really brave, Catra''

Catra scoffed ''You're one to talk, I was glued to you the whole time''

''But, you still testified, while he was there, you probably saved so many people just by doing that, that isn't nothing, it's one of the bravest things you can do'' She was about to go in to hold Catra, but then suddenly pulled her hand back ''Can I...''

The magicat gave another tired smile ''You don't have to keep asking, dummy''

Adora looked away ''It's better that way, I don't wanna scare you, I-I don't want you to be scared of me''

''I think you were scary enough for a lifetime back there'' Catra's gaze dropped again as she remembered what she'd seen when Adora let her go. It was a fury that still scared her to death. She'd only witnessed it at the height of the war, and even then a fraction of her was always holding back. But the Adora she saw here, her ire was greater than anyone could've expected. She remembered the piercing glare she'd caught a hint of when the Princess turned around, far more terrifying than what she'd seen at the portal, or in Elberon. Seeing Adora like that was horrible, it was like she wasn't there anymore, and yet she was, but all that was in her was burning anger

''I'm sorry, I really didn't mean to scare you'' She tried to explain

Catra looked up at her ''Were you gonna do it? If the king didn't stop you then would you have...?''

Adora pulled away ''I...I don't know, he started saying what he did to you, and that you'd... I just saw red there... I don't know if I would've held back, not after what he did, not after he went after _you_ '' She sighed ''Did it get as bad as he said?''

Catra visibly tensed up at having to recount the details ''I escaped before the worst part...but, he-he managed to touch me, before the rope snapped, h-he was about t-to'' Tears pricked her eyes again ''I-I couldn't talk, I tried to fight him, I-I tried s-so much, h-he wouldn't leave, h-he kept doing it, I couldn't-'' she didn't feel safe in her own body anymore

Adora moved her face towards hers, holding out her hand. Catra nodded slightly before the princess wiped the tears off her eyes, scooting closer to her. Her eyes widened in worry as she saw the slight tremble going through the feline, she wanted to go back and destroy that guy for what he'd done ''Shh, It's okay, it's okay'' she comforted as the brunette rambled on

''I c-couldn't move, Adora, I-I tried, I told him to stop, H-he kept-'' She had to stop as bile rose in her throat, it felt like a dam had burst the moment she recalled the details

''I know, I know, you're safe now, you're gonna be okay'' she ran her fingers through Catra's soft hair ''How'd you escape?''

Catra took a deep breath ''The rope snapped, I broke it and threw him off and scratched him, he-he tried to get me again, bit I hit him and knocked him out, and then I ran, I-I just needed to find you, I wasn't thinking anything else''

Catra could feel Adora's lips brush against her forehead, a sense of safety flooded her when she was in the blonde's arms again ''I'm sorry, I wasn't there, I should've-''

''Don't beat yourself up'' Catra shushed ''You're here now, right?''

Adora looked to her tired, sleepy form for a second, Catra's eyes were half open, she looked so exhausted. ''Yeah'' she whispered ''I'm here, I'm always gonna be''

She finally fell asleep like that, overwhelmed with warmth, love and safety. Adora stayed up for a long time, contemplating things, a warm feeling in her chest growing stronger with every soft breath the feline took. She was here now, she wouldn't let anything happen to her, she'd help her recover in any way she could, she would make her feel as safe as possible

It was a long road to recovery, but she'd be there every step of the way


End file.
